


A Place Called Home

by SilverDagger



Category: Claymore
Genre: Ficlet, Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon, background Clare/Raki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 21:16:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3665298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverDagger/pseuds/SilverDagger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One last conversation before Helen heads back to her village.</p><p>Fill for the fic_promptly prompt "outside looking in."</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Place Called Home

Helen arrives at Rabona's western gate just as dawn is breaking. She's expecting some time to herself before Deneve arrives, a chance to say her goodbyes to the city and gather her thoughts before she heads out.

She isn't expecting Clare's boy - not such a boy any longer - to be there waiting, leaning against the wall like he's got nothing better to do than watch the stream of people and ox-carts filter back into the city and whatever remains of their homes. Maybe he doesn't. More likely, he's been waiting for her.

"You're going back to your hometown, aren't you," he says.

"What's it to you?"

He doesn't answer immediately, and when he does, she gets the sense that he's choosing his words with care.

"It might not be the same as you remember. Or you might not be the same."

"Kid," she says, grinning, "I know I'm not."

He shifts his weight, frowning. Humans are tough to read, without the minute fluctuations in youki to hint at feelings she's never been all that good at picking up on, but if she had to guess, she'd say he's worried about her.

Softhearted brat. She's never seen him worry about his own life, but apparently other people's feelings - even hers - are cause for concern. Which makes him and Clare a matched pair, she supposes, assuming they don't end up racing each other to the grave for somebody else's sake. But he's a good kid. He'll do right by her. And once Helen's back from her journey down nostalgia road, she'll remember to keep them both alive and in line.

"I won't care too much about what I find there, don't you worry," she says. "And I'm not expecting them to care too much about me. But I miss the place, you know?"

"I know," he says, and looks at her sidelong. "It's good to have a home to get back to."

"You do," she says, and lets him lift his head in surprise before pulling him into a tight hug. "You're one of us, now. Don't think we'll let you forget it."


End file.
